Overview

After previous assignments in London, the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, and the Australian rain forest, this final adventure in the Hunchback Assignments series finds our hero, shape-shifting, masked spy Modo, on his most personal quest. Along with fellow spy Octavia Milkweed, they search for Modo's biological parents. But when the Clockwork Guild find Modo's parents first, Octavia and Modo chase them across Europe and North America to the Island of Doom. Joined by memorable characters from the first three ...

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Overview

After previous assignments in London, the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, and the Australian rain forest, this final adventure in the Hunchback Assignments series finds our hero, shape-shifting, masked spy Modo, on his most personal quest. Along with fellow spy Octavia Milkweed, they search for Modo's biological parents. But when the Clockwork Guild find Modo's parents first, Octavia and Modo chase them across Europe and North America to the Island of Doom. Joined by memorable characters from the first three books—some lovable, and some who are terrifying and evil—Modo and Octavia dash towards a thrilling conclusion.

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

Modo is back for one last adventure. Horrendously ugly, but superhumanly strong and able to change his face and form briefly, Modo has been a valuable agent of the Permanent Association, a secret group dedicated to protecting Britannia. But three months after The Empire of Ruins (2011), he has been effectively suspended from duty for disobeying Mr. Socrates, the man who has raised but never parented Modo. When French teen agent Colette (The Dark Deeps, 2010) contacts Modo, he and Octavia, along with Mr. Socrates and Tharpa, are drawn back into conflict with the wicked Clockwork Guild, which seeks to bring down the British Empire and everyone else as well. The Guild has continued to advance, with resurrected creatures made from dead bodies (think Frankenstein's monster); meanwhile, the Association has powerful steam-powered, armor-clad soldiers of their own, who were once the children harnessed by the Guild to bring down Parliament (The Hunchback Assignments, 2009). Adding to the drama, Modo's parents may be alive, and Colette and Octavia vie for his attention despite his true, awful face. Beneath the action runs the question of "who am I"; while the answer may prove elusive, this final showdown helps Modo face the question and begin to answer it for himself. By turns touching and pulse-pounding, this conclusion will leave fans fully satisfied. (Steampunk. 11-14)

Children's Literature
- Judy Silverman

This story begins with a most unpleasant premise—that a severely physically challenged young man (read "so hideous-looking that anyone who sees him shudders and turns away) also happens to be a "shape-shifter." This is the fourth volume of the series "The Hunchback Assignments." The young man, Modo, carries a mask which he puts on whenever he has to be with people who have never seen him before. We learn a bit about his prior life and adventures, that his parents rejected him at birth and either 1) sold him to a carnival or 2) left him on the steps of the Cathedral of Notre Dame, that he was found by the mysterious Mr. Socrates and educated by him with other young people who would eventually save the world. The narrative is peppered with references to classic literature—Macbeth and The Hunchback of Notre Dame come immediately to mind. And Modo is not entirely alone; Octavia and Colette both seem to like him in spite of his looks, and the boy Oppie admires him tremendously. Once the reader gets over the initial unpleasantness, it is an enjoyable read: fast-paced and exciting. Reading will want to read the series in order. Reviewer: Judy Silverman

Meet the Author

ARTHUR SLADE has published several novels for young readers, including The Hunchback Assignments; The Hunchback Assignments 2: Dark Deeps; The Hunchback Assignments: Empire of Ruins; Jolted: Newton Starker's Rules for Survival; Megiddo's Shadow; Tribes; and Dust, which won the Governor General's Award for Children's Literature. He lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, with his wife, Brenda Baker, and their daughter.

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A captivating ride!

For those who have not followed this incredible series, Modo is a young man who was born with a deformity, and has the power to change his face and body in order to become a different person at will - which definitely comes in handy in his work as an agent for ‘The Permanent Association’ - which is a group whose job is to protect Britannia. Through three previous adventures, Modo has found himself in many situations - from the mean streets of London to the Atlantic Ocean to the rain forest in Australia, but this time he is about to receive his ‘final’ assignment. Recently, Modo was suspended from duty for disobeying Mr. Socrates, the man who raised him. But when a French agent named, Colette, returns and gets in touch with Mr. Socrates to let him know that the evil Clockwork Guild is gearing up for another fight, Modo and his fellow spy, Octavia, are pulled back in. They must defeat the Guild who want to destroy the British Empire by bringing dead bodies back to life - an army that will fight the Association’s armor-clad soldiers. Along with this epic war comes the fact that Modo believes he has finally found his birth parents, who abandoned him as a baby at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. Add to that the fact that Octavia and Collette are both trying to ‘capture’ his attention, and you have a very emotional conclusion to a truly fascinating series. From the very beginning, this author has given YA readers a captivating character with Modo. Although his face was covered with a mask to hide his deformity, his heart was always full of magic that made readers want to stand by his side and see him win! Quill Says: This series is so special start with #1 and enjoy the captivating ride!

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